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Dr. Jackson Tan

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Dr. Jackson Tan

  • NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
  • 301.614.6227
  • NASA/GSFC
  • Mail Code: 613
  • Greenbelt , MD 20771
  • Employer: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE CO

    • Brief Bio

    I am an Scientist with Universities Space Research Association working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. My work focuses on the development of the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) gridded global precipitation product from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, creation of cloud regimes from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations, and the study of the relationship between clouds and precipitation.

    Current Projects

    IMERG Algorithm Development

    The Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) is the leading global gridded precipitation product from the NASA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission. A successor to the widely used TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis, the recently released IMERG V06 provides precipitation estimates over a 20-year record and features numerous improvements. IMERG V07, planned for a late-2021 release, will require continued development, including testing for the optimal variable(s) in deriving motion vectors and ensuring correct functioning under an equal-area global grid.

    Unified ISCCP-MODIS Weather States

    Weather states (or cloud regimes) are mesoscale categorization of cloud distributions from passive satellite observations that have provided useful insights into the large-scale state of the atmosphere. Currently defined separately from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) observations, the goal of this project is to integrate both products in a consistent manner to create a long-term record of unified ISCCP-MODIS weather states dataset for scientific analysis.

    Understanding Cloud-Precipitation Relationship

    Understanding the relationship between clouds and precipitation is critical for an accurate representation of related processes in models, but our knowledge remains deficient. The goal of this project is to conduct a combined analysis of clouds and precipitation using IMERG and cloud regimes, leveraging the detailed insights gained during the creation of each product to achieve an informed understanding of the connections between clouds and precipitation.

    Education

    Ph.D., Monash University, Mar 2011–Sep 2014
    School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Faculty of Science

    M.Sc., The Australian National University, Feb 2010–Dec 2010
    Research School of Earth Sciences, College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences

    B.Sc. (Hon.), National University of Singapore, Aug 2005–Jun 2009
    Department of Physics, Faculty of Science

    Publications

    Refereed

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, S. J. Munchak, et al. J. Tan, S. Braun, S. Ringerud, W. Blackwell, J. X. Yang, E. Nelkin, and J. Dong. 2021. "Improving Cross-track Scanning Radiometers’ Precipitation Retrieval over Ocean by Morphing." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22 (9): 2393-2406 [10.1175/jhm-d-21-0038.1]

    Guilloteau, C., E. Foufoula-Georgiou, P. Kirstetter, J. Tan, and G. J. Huffman. 2021. "How well do multi-satellite products capture the space-time dynamics of precipitation? Part I: five products assessed via a wavenumber-frequency decomposition." Journal of Hydrometeorology, (In Press) [10.1175/jhm-d-21-0075.1]

    Rajagopal, M., E. Zipser, G. J. Huffman, J. Russell, and J. Tan. 2021. "Comparisons of IMERG Version 06 Precipitation At and Between Passive Microwave Overpasses in the Tropics." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22 (8): 2117-2130 [10.1175/jhm-d-20-0226.1]

    Tan, J., G. J. Huffman, D. T. Bolvin, E. J. Nelkin, and M. Rajagopal. 2021. "SHARPEN: A Scheme to Restore the Distribution of Averaged Precipitation Fields." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22 (8): 2105-2116 [10.1175/jhm-d-20-0225.1]

    Bolvin, D. T., G. J. Huffman, E. J. Nelkin, and J. Tan. 2021. "Comparison of Monthly IMERG Precipitation Estimates with PACRAIN Atoll Observations." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 22 (7): 1745-1753 [10.1175/jhm-d-20-0202.1]

    Jin, D., L. Oreopoulos, D. Lee, J. Tan, and N. Cho. 2021. "Cloud-Precipitation Hybrid Regimes and their Projection onto IMERG Precipitation Data." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 60 (6): 733-748 [10.1175/jamc-d-20-0253.1]

    Cho, N., J. Tan, and L. Oreopoulos. 2021. "Classifying planetary cloudiness with an updated set of MODIS Cloud Regimes." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, [10.1175/jamc-d-20-0247.1]

    Beck, H. E., S. Westra, J. Tan, et al. F. Pappenberger, G. J. Huffman, T. R. McVicar, G. J. Gründemann, N. Vergopolan, H. J. Fowler, E. Lewis, K. Verbist, and E. F. Wood. 2020. "PPDIST, global 0.1° daily and 3-hourly precipitation probability distribution climatologies for 1979–2018." Scientific Data, 7 (1): 302 [10.1038/s41597-020-00631-x]

    Huffman, G. J., D. T. Bolvin, D. Braithwaite, et al. K.-L. Hsu, R. J. Joyce, C. Kidd, E. J. Nelkin, S. Sorooshian, E. F. Stocker, J. Tan, D. B. Wolff, and P. Xie. 2020. "Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission (IMERG)." Satellite Precipitation Measurement, 343-353 [10.1007/978-3-030-24568-9_19]

    You, Y., V. Petkovic, J. Tan, et al. R. Kroodsma, W. Berg, C. Kidd, and C. Peters-Lidard. 2020. "Evaluation of V05 Precipitation Estimates from GPM Constellation Radiometers Using KuPR as the Reference." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 21 (4): 705-728 [10.1175/jhm-d-19-0144.1]

    Jin, D., L. Oreopoulos, D. Lee, J. Tan, and K. Kim. 2020. "Large‐Scale Characteristics of Tropical Convective Systems Through the Prism of Cloud Regime." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 125 (6): [10.1029/2019jd031157]

    Tan, J., G. J. Huffman, D. T. Bolvin, and E. J. Nelkin. 2019. "IMERG V06: Changes to the Morphing Algorithm." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 36 (12): 2471-2482 [10.1175/jtech-d-19-0114.1]

    Tan, J., G. J. Huffman, D. T. Bolvin, and E. J. Nelkin. 2019. "Diurnal Cycle of IMERG V06 Precipitation." Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (22): 13584-13592 [10.1029/2019gl085395]

    Tan, J., and L. Oreopoulos. 2019. "Subgrid Precipitation Properties of Mesoscale Atmospheric Systems Represented by MODIS Cloud Regimes." Journal of Climate, 32 (6): 1797-1812 [10.1175/jcli-d-18-0570.1]

    Monsieurs, E., D. B. Kirschbaum, J. Tan, et al. J.-C. Maki Mateso, L. Jacobs, P.-D. Plisnier, W. Thiery, A. Umutoni, D. Musoni, T. M. Bibentyo, G. B. Ganza, G. I. Mawe, L. Bagalwa, C. Kankurize, C. Michellier, T. Stanley, F. Kervyn, M. Kervyn, A. Demoulin, and O. Dewitte. 2018. "Evaluating TMPA Rainfall over the Sparsely Gauged East African Rift." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 19 (9): 1507-1528 [10.1175/jhm-d-18-0103.1]

    Tan, J., L. Oreopoulos, C. Jakob, and D. Jin. 2018. "Evaluating rainfall errors in global climate models through cloud regimes." Climate Dynamics, 50: 3301–3314 [10.1007/s00382-017-3806-7]

    Jin, D., L. Oreopoulos, D. Lee, N. Cho, and J. Tan. 2018. "Contrasting the Co-variability of Daytime Cloud and Precipitation over Tropical Land and Ocean." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 1-31 [https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3065-2018]

    Tan, J., W. A. Petersen, G. Kirchengast, D. C. Goodrich, and D. B. Wolff. 2018. "Evaluation of Global Precipitation Measurement Rainfall Estimates against Three Dense Gauge Networks." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 19 (3): 517-532 [10.1175/jhm-d-17-0174.1]

    O, S., U. Foelsche, G. Kirchengast, et al. J. Fuchsberger, J. Tan, and W. A. Petersen. 2017. "Evaluation of GPM IMERG Early, Late, and Final rainfall estimates using WegenerNet gauge data in southeastern Austria." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21 (12): 6559-6572 [10.5194/hess-21-6559-2017]

    O, S., U. Foelsche, G. Kirchengast, et al. J. Fuchsberger, J. Tan, and W. A. Petersen. 2017. "Evaluation of GPM IMERG Early, Late, and Final rainfall estimates with WegenerNet gauge data in southeast Austria." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 1-21 [10.5194/hess-2017-256]

    Kidd, C., J. Tan, P. Kirstetter, and W. A. Petersen. 2017. "Validation of the Version 05 Level 2 precipitation products from the GPM Core Observatory and constellation satellite sensors." Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 144 (S1): 313-328 [10.1002/qj.3175]

    Tan, J., W. A. Petersen, P.-E. Kirstetter, and Y. Tian. 2017. "Performance of IMERG as a Function of Spatiotemporal Scale." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 18 (2): 307-319 [10.1175/jhm-d-16-0174.1]

    Tan, J., W. A. Petersen, and A. Tokay. 2016. "A Novel Approach to Identify Sources of Errors in IMERG for GPM Ground Validation." Journal of Hydrometeorology, 17 (9): 2477–2491 [10.1175/jhm-d-16-0079.1]

    Tan, J., C. Jakob, W. B. Rossow, and G. Tselioudis. 2015. "Increases in tropical rainfall driven by changes in frequency of organized deep convection." Nature, 519: 451-454 [10.1038/nature14339]

    Tan, J., C. Jakob, and T. P. Lane. 2015. "The Consequences of a Local Approach in Statistical Models of Convection on its Large-Scale Coherence." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmosphere, 120 (3): 931-944 [10.1002/2014JD022680]

    Tan, J., C. Jakob, and T. P. Lane. 2013. "On the Identification of the Large-Scale Properties of Tropical Convection Using Cloud Regimes ." J. Clim., 26 (17): 6618-6632 [10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00624.1]

    Tan, J., and C. Jakob. 2013. "A three-hourly dataset of the state of tropical convection based on cloud regimes." Geophys. Res. Lett., 40 (7): 1415–1419 [10.1002/grl.50294]

    Awards

    • Outstanding Performance – Science, NASA GSFC 610AT, 16 Oct 2020
    • Editor's Award, AMS (Journal of Hydrometeorology), 23 Jul 2020
    • 2019 Robert H. Goddard Honor Award for Science Teams, NASA GSFC, 23 Jun 2020
    • Best First-Authored Paper, NASA GSFC Climate and Radiation Laboratory, 21 Jan 2020
    • PMM Science Team Award, NASA Precipitation Measurement Missions, 08 Oct 2018
    • Scientific Leadership Award, NASA GSFC Climate and Radiation Laboratory, 19 Jan 2018

    Professional Societies

    American Geophysical Union, 2015 - Present
    Regular member
    American Meteorological Society, 2016 - Present
    Regular member
    Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, 2012 - 2014
    Student member

    Professional Service

    • Associate Editor, American Meteorological Society Journal of Hydrometeorology, 5 Oct 2020 –
    • Chair, AGU Fall Meeting 2020, H200. Space-Based Precipitation Observations and Estimation: Innovations for Science and Applications IV Posters
    • OSPA Judge, AGU Fall Meeting 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020
    • Member, AGU Precipitation Technical Committee

    Brief Bio

    I am an Scientist with Universities Space Research Association working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. My work focuses on the development of the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) gridded global precipitation product from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, creation of cloud regimes from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations, and the study of the relationship between clouds and precipitation.

    Publications

    Refereed

    You, Y., C. Peters-Lidard, S. J. Munchak, et al. J. Tan, S. Braun, S. Ringerud, W. Blackwell, J. X. Yang, E. Nelkin, and J. Dong. 2021. "Improving Cross-track Scanning Radiometers’ Precipitation Retrieval over Ocean by Morphing." Journal of Hydrometeorology 22 (9): 2393-2406 [10.1175/jhm-d-21-0038.1]

    Guilloteau, C., E. Foufoula-Georgiou, P. Kirstetter, J. Tan, and G. J. Huffman. 2021. "How well do multi-satellite products capture the space-time dynamics of precipitation? Part I: five products assessed via a wavenumber-frequency decomposition." Journal of Hydrometeorology (In Press) [10.1175/jhm-d-21-0075.1]

    Rajagopal, M., E. Zipser, G. J. Huffman, J. Russell, and J. Tan. 2021. "Comparisons of IMERG Version 06 Precipitation At and Between Passive Microwave Overpasses in the Tropics." Journal of Hydrometeorology 22 (8): 2117-2130 [10.1175/jhm-d-20-0226.1]

    Tan, J., G. J. Huffman, D. T. Bolvin, E. J. Nelkin, and M. Rajagopal. 2021. "SHARPEN: A Scheme to Restore the Distribution of Averaged Precipitation Fields." Journal of Hydrometeorology 22 (8): 2105-2116 [10.1175/jhm-d-20-0225.1]

    Bolvin, D. T., G. J. Huffman, E. J. Nelkin, and J. Tan. 2021. "Comparison of Monthly IMERG Precipitation Estimates with PACRAIN Atoll Observations." Journal of Hydrometeorology 22 (7): 1745-1753 [10.1175/jhm-d-20-0202.1]

    Jin, D., L. Oreopoulos, D. Lee, J. Tan, and N. Cho. 2021. "Cloud-Precipitation Hybrid Regimes and their Projection onto IMERG Precipitation Data." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 60 (6): 733-748 [10.1175/jamc-d-20-0253.1]

    Cho, N., J. Tan, and L. Oreopoulos. 2021. "Classifying planetary cloudiness with an updated set of MODIS Cloud Regimes." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology [10.1175/jamc-d-20-0247.1]

    Beck, H. E., S. Westra, J. Tan, et al. F. Pappenberger, G. J. Huffman, T. R. McVicar, G. J. Gründemann, N. Vergopolan, H. J. Fowler, E. Lewis, K. Verbist, and E. F. Wood. 2020. "PPDIST, global 0.1° daily and 3-hourly precipitation probability distribution climatologies for 1979–2018." Scientific Data 7 (1): 302 [10.1038/s41597-020-00631-x]

    Huffman, G. J., D. T. Bolvin, D. Braithwaite, et al. K.-L. Hsu, R. J. Joyce, C. Kidd, E. J. Nelkin, S. Sorooshian, E. F. Stocker, J. Tan, D. B. Wolff, and P. Xie. 2020. "Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission (IMERG)." Satellite Precipitation Measurement 343-353 [10.1007/978-3-030-24568-9_19]

    You, Y., V. Petkovic, J. Tan, et al. R. Kroodsma, W. Berg, C. Kidd, and C. Peters-Lidard. 2020. "Evaluation of V05 Precipitation Estimates from GPM Constellation Radiometers Using KuPR as the Reference." Journal of Hydrometeorology 21 (4): 705-728 [10.1175/jhm-d-19-0144.1]

    Jin, D., L. Oreopoulos, D. Lee, J. Tan, and K. Kim. 2020. "Large‐Scale Characteristics of Tropical Convective Systems Through the Prism of Cloud Regime." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 125 (6): [10.1029/2019jd031157]

    Tan, J., G. J. Huffman, D. T. Bolvin, and E. J. Nelkin. 2019. "IMERG V06: Changes to the Morphing Algorithm." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 36 (12): 2471-2482 [10.1175/jtech-d-19-0114.1]

    Tan, J., G. J. Huffman, D. T. Bolvin, and E. J. Nelkin. 2019. "Diurnal Cycle of IMERG V06 Precipitation." Geophysical Research Letters 46 (22): 13584-13592 [10.1029/2019gl085395]

    Tan, J., and L. Oreopoulos. 2019. "Subgrid Precipitation Properties of Mesoscale Atmospheric Systems Represented by MODIS Cloud Regimes." Journal of Climate 32 (6): 1797-1812 [10.1175/jcli-d-18-0570.1]

    Monsieurs, E., D. B. Kirschbaum, J. Tan, et al. J.-C. Maki Mateso, L. Jacobs, P.-D. Plisnier, W. Thiery, A. Umutoni, D. Musoni, T. M. Bibentyo, G. B. Ganza, G. I. Mawe, L. Bagalwa, C. Kankurize, C. Michellier, T. Stanley, F. Kervyn, M. Kervyn, A. Demoulin, and O. Dewitte. 2018. "Evaluating TMPA Rainfall over the Sparsely Gauged East African Rift." Journal of Hydrometeorology 19 (9): 1507-1528 [10.1175/jhm-d-18-0103.1]

    Tan, J., L. Oreopoulos, C. Jakob, and D. Jin. 2018. "Evaluating rainfall errors in global climate models through cloud regimes." Climate Dynamics 50 3301–3314 [10.1007/s00382-017-3806-7]

    Jin, D., L. Oreopoulos, D. Lee, N. Cho, and J. Tan. 2018. "Contrasting the Co-variability of Daytime Cloud and Precipitation over Tropical Land and Ocean." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 1-31 [https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3065-2018]

    Tan, J., W. A. Petersen, G. Kirchengast, D. C. Goodrich, and D. B. Wolff. 2018. "Evaluation of Global Precipitation Measurement Rainfall Estimates against Three Dense Gauge Networks." Journal of Hydrometeorology 19 (3): 517-532 [10.1175/jhm-d-17-0174.1]

    O, S., U. Foelsche, G. Kirchengast, et al. J. Fuchsberger, J. Tan, and W. A. Petersen. 2017. "Evaluation of GPM IMERG Early, Late, and Final rainfall estimates using WegenerNet gauge data in southeastern Austria." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 21 (12): 6559-6572 [10.5194/hess-21-6559-2017]

    O, S., U. Foelsche, G. Kirchengast, et al. J. Fuchsberger, J. Tan, and W. A. Petersen. 2017. "Evaluation of GPM IMERG Early, Late, and Final rainfall estimates with WegenerNet gauge data in southeast Austria." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions 1-21 [10.5194/hess-2017-256]

    Kidd, C., J. Tan, P. Kirstetter, and W. A. Petersen. 2017. "Validation of the Version 05 Level 2 precipitation products from the GPM Core Observatory and constellation satellite sensors." Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 144 (S1): 313-328 [10.1002/qj.3175]

    Tan, J., W. A. Petersen, P.-E. Kirstetter, and Y. Tian. 2017. "Performance of IMERG as a Function of Spatiotemporal Scale." Journal of Hydrometeorology 18 (2): 307-319 [10.1175/jhm-d-16-0174.1]

    Tan, J., W. A. Petersen, and A. Tokay. 2016. "A Novel Approach to Identify Sources of Errors in IMERG for GPM Ground Validation." Journal of Hydrometeorology 17 (9): 2477–2491 [10.1175/jhm-d-16-0079.1]

    Tan, J., C. Jakob, W. B. Rossow, and G. Tselioudis. 2015. "Increases in tropical rainfall driven by changes in frequency of organized deep convection." Nature 519 451-454 [10.1038/nature14339]

    Tan, J., C. Jakob, and T. P. Lane. 2015. "The Consequences of a Local Approach in Statistical Models of Convection on its Large-Scale Coherence." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmosphere 120 (3): 931-944 [10.1002/2014JD022680]

    Tan, J., C. Jakob, and T. P. Lane. 2013. "On the Identification of the Large-Scale Properties of Tropical Convection Using Cloud Regimes ." J. Clim. 26 (17): 6618-6632 [10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00624.1]

    Tan, J., and C. Jakob. 2013. "A three-hourly dataset of the state of tropical convection based on cloud regimes." Geophys. Res. Lett. 40 (7): 1415–1419 [10.1002/grl.50294]

                                                                                                                                                                                            
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